Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 25, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 1 1 Turkey Vulture 42 2944 6410 Osprey 0 23 28 Bald Eagle 0 27 73 Northern Harrier 0 18 29 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 629 749 Cooper's Hawk 1 46 97 American Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 17 232 Broad-winged Hawk 2 1949 1949 Red-tailed Hawk 1 286 691 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 9 Golden Eagle 0 0 3 American Kestrel 1 20 23 Merlin 0 7 9 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 4 Unknown Accipitrine 0 11 13 Unknown Buteo 0 7 19 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 2 2 Unknown Raptor 0 3 5 Total: 49 5994 10347 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours Official Counter: Deena Errampalli Observers: Kevin Empey Visitors: None Weather: A cloudy, cold, and drizzly/rainy day. The cloud cover was 100%. The temperature ranged from 8 °C to -9 °C, with 4-13 km/hr northeast (NNE) wind. The visibility was 1- 2 km. We decided to stop the count at noon as it began to rain. Then, I resumed the count after the rain stopped and counted from 2 pm to 4 pm. Raptor Observations: The majority were Turkey Vultures. Most of the birds were flying low, and the flight path was to the north over the escarpment. No raptors were observed between 10 am and 12 noon. After the rain, five raptor species were seen: two Sharp-shinned Hawks, two Broad-winged Hawks, and one each of Cooper’s Hawk, American Kestrel, and Red-tailed Hawk. Non-raptor Observations: Local Turkey Vultures were active at times. Around 9:30 am, Kevin and I saw four Northern Flickers in the same tree, perhaps they just arrived after a long migration. A Mallard Duck, ten Double-crested Cormorants, a Great Blue Heron, and a handful of Ring-billed Gulls flew over. After the rain, the passerines became active and were singing: Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets, and 4 species of woodpeckers, including a Pileated Woodpecker. The White-throated Sparrows kept company all day by singing their Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada song. Predictions: West wind 30 km/h gusting to 50 is predicted for tomorrow. Today, the Derby Hill Bird Observatory (NY) had 94 raptors, while the Hamburg Hawk Watch had only 9. I hope the raptor migration at Beamer’s will be better tomorrow than today. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Deena Errampalli (deenaerrampalli@bell.net) Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ More site information at hawkcount.org: https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=389 Site Description: Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than five or six observers would be on it. The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. Only the counter and designated spotters can drive into and park in the conservation area; there is a parking lot outside for visitors. The tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the outer edge. This provides lots of room to set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records. Directions to site: To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to the conservation area. If parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your car. Please note: 1) Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized after the end of the season. ©2020 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch. 2) Vehicular traffic into the park is allowed, but visitors are asked to have their cars outside the gate by 3PM. If parking at the gate DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR VEHICLE!!!